The Missing Pages (Element Evil Sequel)
by SnowFire77
Summary: 'How did I get here' Questions circled his mind like a whirlwind. 'Where am I? WHO am I' There was a broken bridge that lingered within his mind like an afterimage. On the opposite side, lay his memories and thoughts. But the missing pieces kept him from crossing. Nothing in his mind but a black void, like a monster lurking beyond the reach of light. Full summary inside.
1. Summary

**~A/N~ I had the sequel posted on DA, but for the sake of the author and reader's peace of mind, I revised a bit and posted it here. Chapters will be up in a few.**

~X~

Four weeks dragged on since the Mind Worm's defeat. But the tension between Etrius and Beecher continued rising. Beecher is convinced that there is nothing left to worry about, but Etrius can't get the damage he's done out of his head.

It isn't long before Etrius quits the Elite Team, not being able to put up with Beecher any longer. After losing his memories, he runs into an old friend back from the dead. Having nothing to lose, Etrius teams up with him. Everything begins to fall apart as Etrius is turned against his old team.

A new Presence has made itself known to Earth, threatening to destroy everything the Elite Team worked so hard to restore. The solution lies in the Wise One's books, but certain pages are missing. The Team must find them before it's too late.

In the end, Etrius will have to make a decision. Return to a life he's forgotten, or destroy it?


	2. Prologue

**Prologue**

Dr. Romanov lay on his back beneath the portal's control system. He worked his way through the complex mass of red and blue wires, rearranging them in any way possible.

He grabbed hold of two red ones, holding his breath. Then he connected the copper wires hairs.

The portal sparked a blue flame, and then died out. He tried again, but received the same result, weaker this time. Then it just shut down completely.

He rose to his feet, bumping his head against the control system's exterior. He grumbled Russian words under his breath.

A crucial piece of the central battery was missing. And he knew exactly where it was.

On Earth.

He stared futilely at the broken portal that towered over him like a skyscraper. The Elite Team had no way of knowing he was alive. He was completely out of food and water that was kept reserved in the base. Another day of going on like this and he wouldn't survive.

Romanov's hair was ruffled, as if static electricity had zapped him, and his glasses were cracked. His white lab coat was tattered and torn.

He glance at the Crystal Shard, and then clicked two and two together. If he could somehow contact the Elite Team through the shard, he could get out of here. That is, if they didn't destroy it first.

~X~

**~A/N~ ShortShortSHORT prologue; there wasn't much to do here. But Romanov's still alive, yay!**


	3. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Etrius and Beecher had their backs to each other, arms crossed. Beecher cast a heavy glare at Etrius over his shoulder.

"Let me get one thing straight," Etrius said without so much a glance back at his comrade. "I'M the team leader here. You'll follow my orders, whether you like them or not."

Beecher ground his teeth. "I saved your fucking life. Don't forget."

"I saved mankind. Don't forget."

Beecher snarled, but Etrius didn't see it.

The doors to the lab swung open, and Nox breezed into the room. "We've found over fifteen wandering Evils in the past twelve hours." She reported.

"Keep searching," Etrius ordered. "We can never know when they'll sneak up on us unnoticed."

Nox blinked. "Our shift is over. We can't go further any longer."

"_That's another thing with you,_" Beecher snapped. "You push us past our limits to do the most unnecessary shit. We never get a break."

"Evils don't get breaks, and neither should we."

"Mankind is saved, goddamnit! Element Evil is eradicated, and the resource war is over. What more do you fucking want?"

Finally, Etrius glared over his shoulder. His lush green eyes had darkened. He pushed past the doors without another word.

Beecher followed him, Nox watching the two comrades until they were out of sight. They'd been fighting for days. Etrius had grown cold to Beecher, and the team. He was fully convinced that the war wasn't over because there were still Evils wandering the Earth. He believed they posed a threat, and he wasn't going to stop until he had each and every one of them eradicated.

Beecher tailed Etrius until they reached outside. The grinning moon crested in the sky, hanging just above the tree lines. The air was thick with fog that wafted from the forest, as if alive.

"Where do you think you're going?" Beecher grabbed Etrius by the shoulder.

Etrius swung around on instinct and threw his fist back for a punch. Beecher caught it.

He glared into his eyes with hatred not even Etrius had seen before. "If you're so interested in wiping out the Evil race, then why don't you just do it yourself? There's no fucking need for the team to be here, kissing your ass."

Something unfathomable sparked in Etrius' eyes at Beecher's words. "Do you have any idea what it takes to lead a team? I'm doing everything in my power to keep this team in one piece."

Beecher scoffed. "You're doing a lousy job at it."

Etrius yanked his fist away, his muscles trembling with aggravation. "If you don't want my guidance, then fine. This was you're decision." In one swift motion, he peeled off his military insignia and flung it at Beecher. "I quit."

Beecher laughed, the darkest sound no one had ever seen. "You're too much of a coward to do this. You always have been."

Etrius turned and away and began marching towards the forest, his eyes shadowed.

Beecher continued firing words at his retreating back. "You know, I'm starting to wonder. Were you _really _possessed by the Mind Worm? I'm starting to believe you killed The General yourself."

The force of his words was enough to make Etrius freeze in his tracks. His tightened his fists until his nails had broken skin. "Shut up."

"So you're feeling guilty about it. He was the enemy, Etrius. If you're so fucking pissed that he's gone and in the grave, then maybe you're not our comrade after all. You're our enemy, and the coward I always knew was inside you."

All at once, Etrius' posture relaxed. He exhaled, his breath crystallized in the midnight air before dissipating back into nothing.

He turned back to Beecher, the darkness of night shadowing his face. He slowly began making his way towards Beecher.

Beecher raised a brow. "Changed your mind?"

Etrius didn't response. Instead, he pulled his fist back. Without warning, he struck Beecher across the face.

Beecher's vision jarred to the side. He stumbled to his knees. The world rocked beneath him.

Beecher glanced up at Etrius, who towered over him.

Beecher struggled to get his feet under him, and then delivered a series to blows toward Etrius' stomach.

Etrius absorbed them blows, taking little damage. He grabbed Beecher's shoulders, wrestling him to the ground. Beecher drove his knee into Etrius' stomach, winding him. He threw him to the ground, then pinned him in place.

He threw his fist back, delivering a final blow between Etrius' eyes. A flash of black and red, then silence.

~X~

The doors swung open, and Beecher emerged into the base. Nox and the team were inside the lab, the Crystal Shard in the center of the floor. Equipment had been moved out of the way to create a spacious clearing.

Beecher joined the team. "Are we ready?"

Boomer raised a chainsaw, a dangerous smile performing on his face.

Beecher grabbed a protective iron mask and slid it over his face.

"Where's Etrius?" Lloyd asked.

"Patrolling the outer base," Beecher said cryptically. "He'll be back soon. Let's get this over with."

Boomer yanked back the chain, a whirling sound roaring from the chainsaw. With one foot, he held the Crystal Shard in place by the gold chain. The whirling saw collided with the Crystal's surface, and sparks of blue energy flew off, blinding his vision.

When he switched the device off and stepped back, the Crystal Shard was still there. In one piece. He grunted. "This thing is too powerful to exist. It _needs _to be destroyed."

Somewhere within her, Nox felt at peace knowing it wasn't destroyed. Those were her powers within the Crystal, but she knew she could never have them back. Once released, Earth would be destroyed. Then there was no going back.

Boomer tossed the machine away, then held out his hand. "Sledgehammer."

Ivan grabbed an iron sledgehammer near the doorway and handed it to him. Boomer raised the hammer over his shoulder, and then swung it down with all his strength.

Again.

And again.

The Crystal Shard didn't even crack.

He let the hammer drop. "Plan B. Acid."

Ivan carried a titanium bucket filled with liquid that steamed. Even the handle felt hot, and it took much effort to carry it. With his powers gone, he was as average as any mortal.

He set the bucket down, droplets of water dripping from the edge. They hit the floor, sizzling and eating away the surface.

Nox grabbed a pair of iron claws and dipped the Crystal Shard into the acid. Nothing.

A muscle in Lloyd's mouth twitched. "Plan C."

~X~

Boomer smiled from the opposite end of the bullet-proof glass. The Crystal Shard lay within, stacks of C4 surrounding it, nearly filling the room. The trigger was in his hand, and he longed to see an explosion. Especially this close.

Lloyd glanced at Boomer. "Boomer, are you read—"

Boomer slammed his thumb down on the switch.

_POOF._

Black ashes and smoke settled on the glass.

Boomer frowned. "That's it?"

"It's too small of an area to see anything big, Boomer." Nox tried to peer through the smoke and see if the Crystal was still there.

Boomer's frown deepened. "The least I could've gotten was a football field to blow this thing up in."

As the smoke began to settle, Nox made out the glowing cobalt-blue light of the Crystal Shard. She grumbled, leaning her back against the glass. "This isn't going to work. If Romanov were here, he'd know exactly what to do."

"We'll he's not," Lloyd's eyes were on hers. "We just need to focus and get by without him. We can't change the past." He flexed his fake fingers.

Lloyd had gotten used to having a robotic arm, and he actually preferred it to his real one. His sword-wielding abilities had been increased dramatically with the new arm.

Things had been getting better for the team, but for how long would they last? Nox got the feeling it wouldn't be very long.

~X~

Etrius stumbled through the forest, trees, mist, darkness and confusion surrounding him. Tree branches extended over him like skeletal fingers against the haunting moonlight.

Shadows were cast on the soft earth.

Tall figures loomed out of the shadows, but disappeared once he blinked. Hallucinations.

_How did I get here?_ Questions circled his mind like a whirlwind. _Where am I? _Who _am I?_

He stopped for a moment, and collapsed against a tree. His legs could barely hold out under him. He checked his pockets. _No wallet, no ID card, no cash. What happened to me? Why can't I remember?_

There was a broken bridge that lingered within his mind like an afterimage. On the opposite side, lay his memories and thoughts. But the missing pieces kept him from crossing to reach them.

There was nothing in his mind but a black void that haunted him, taunting questions. Like a monster lurking beyond the reach of light.

His mind was empty. Not even the forest looked familiar.

Footsteps.

Overhead.

Etrius stiffened, and then reached down. He plucked a large stick from the ground to use as a club.

Someone emerged from the darkness, blue eyes watching him from the shadows. He wore a beret. "Ah, Etrius. Long time no see."

Etrius raised the stick over his shoulder, like a club to show him he wasn't afraid. "Who the hell are you?"

The General chuckled. "Can't believe I'm back from the dead, huh?"

Etrius' eyes darkened. "Don't play games with me. _Who are you?!_"

The General raised a brow, genuinely confused. "Etrius?" He stepped closer, chuckling. "Are you fucking around?"

Etrius' grip on the club tightened. "Don't come any closer! I don't know who you are, but—" The world rocked beneath his feet. He nearly lost his balance had he not collapsed against a tree.

"Etrius, cut this shit out." The General's eyes darkened, and then glowed white with Element Evil in his veins. "You're not fooling me."

"Stay back." Etrius' breath was stolen at the sight of The General's eyes glowing.

_Crunch._

Too late. He realized he'd dropped the stick somewhere in the darkness.

He whirled around, leaning against the tree for support as he prepared to run. _Got to get out of here…_

His vision doubled, sea-sawing in and out of focus. His legs gave away beneath him.

He was unconscious before he hit the ground.

~X~

"Do you hear that?" Nox inquired, her ears picking up the lowest sound.

Lloyd frowned. "I don't hear anything."

"Listen."

The slightest trace of white noise lingered in the air as it grew tight, and hard to breathe.

To Nox's ears, she could barely hear Romanov's voice.

She sighed and hung her head down, dismissing it. "I need to get over that old crackpot. I'm hearing voices."

Lloyd flexed his fake fingers, creating a whirling sound. "Wait… I hear it to."

Nox laughed. "Are you kidding?"

"Shh," He said, listening. "It's coming from the lab."

Nox pressed her hands to her cheeks. "It's his ghost, coming back to haunt us!" She laughed.

They sauntered into the lab, to see the Crystal Shard glowing even brighter than before. The cobalt light painted the walls, lab equipment, and bounced off glass. The slightest trace of burning wood hung in the air.

Romanov's voice emanated from the Crystal Shard, which lay on a steel lab table.

"Is anyone hearing this?" He cursed in Russian. "I'm still here! I'm stuck inside this god-forsaken place. There's a way for me to get out, just tell me someone can hear this!"

Nox cast a weary glance at Lloyd. "You can hear this too, right? I'm not going crazy and hearing things?"

Lloyd replied with a silent nod of his head.

Awkwardly, Nox spoke up, like she was speaking into a microphone. "I hear you, crackpot. Back from the dead, I see."

Romanov screamed in victory at the sound of Nox's voice. She cupped her hands over her ears.

"You haven't destroyed the Crystal yet! Don't!"

"We already tried to," Lloyd spoke up, moving closer to the Crystal. "It's indestructible. Nothing can destroy it."

"Lloyd's here too. Perfect. That's excellent news, because you're going to need the Crystal."

"Why?"

"It's what can release me from this hellhole. I trust that you've defeated the Mind Worm?"

"Yep," Nox said casually.

"I knew mankind could rely on you. There's nothing more dangerous in this universe. I can get home. Please hurry. There's no more food or water."

Lloyd's eyes creased together. "Yeah, about that… We destroyed the base already."

"The base isn't necessary. You only need one thing to open the portal. And it's on Earth. Follow my directions, and this should work."

"On our way," Lloyd turned to Nox. "Start rounding up the team for a rescue mission."

~X~

A slight smile performed on Romanov's face, even as his stomach growled and the pangs of hunger gnawed viciously at it. He stared at the portal in victory.

He was going home.

If he didn't die of hunger or thirst before it happened.

Thunder rolled in the distance.

Romanov frowned, and then turned to the source of the sound. It was coming from the direction of the castle. It never rained here. Why would there be thunder?

A black cloud bled across the sky, like a virus. Then Romanov understood. There was a much more evil and powerful force at work.

**~A/N~ The plot thickens ._.**


	4. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Etrius' eyes fluttered open. The room took shape.

Four white walls surrounded him, an iron door the only different color in the room. A darker shade of gray.

A plate of hot food sat on a steel table next to him. The pangs of hunger gnawed viciously at his stomach, and he was tempted to eat from the food. But it could be poisoned.

He couldn't recall the last time he awoke in an unfamiliar room with a plate of steaming food beside him. In fact, he couldn't recall anything at all.

_Tap._

_Tap._

_Tap._

Footsteps.

Just outside the door.

Etrius glanced around for something to use as a weapon. The glass plate of food.

He raised it off the table, and then slammed it down again, fracturing it. He grabbed a shard to use as a blade.

The door swung open.

Etrius leaped out of the bed, catapulting on the person who swung open the door.

The General was hurtled to the floor, and his back collided with the cold tile flooring. Etrius held the shard against his throat, something dark stirring in his eyes. He ground his teeth to show The General he wasn't afraid.

The General showed no fear. Instead, satisfaction tugged at the corner of his mouth. "You don't remember who I am."

"Don't fuck around with me. Are you the one who did this?" He pressed the shard against his throat, drawing a thin line of blood.

"Me? Never," The General chuckled, a reassuring sound. "I'm the one who saved you from the enemy."

"You're—WHAT?! I don't believe that. How can I trust you?" _What enemy is he talking about?_

"I don't _need _to make you trust me," The General grinned at him, completely ignoring the fact Etrius had a shard of glass pressed to his throat. "It's your choice to trust me. I'm not going to cause you harm."

Etrius' eyes moved with something undecipherable.

The General gestured to the glass shard. "Although, excellent help in return for saving you."

"Sorry, but I don't think dragging me to an unknown location is qualified as 'saving'."

"Sorry, but you don't seem to see it. Are you alive? Are you out of the forest? I offered you food."

"_Poisoned _food. Don't turn this around on me."

"If I wanted to kill you, I would've done it by now."

Etrius was blown away.

"I want to help you."

"Help me how?"

"Recover your memories."

Etrius threw his head back and laughed. "And how do you plan to do that?"

"I'm much more powerful than you think."

Etrius glanced down at the shard, ready to slice his throat. He considered the options, which weren't much. He tossed the shard aside, and backed away.

The General smiled darkly. "Excellent. Let's get started."

~X~

The base lay in ruins, and the portal was damaged beyond recognition. Lloyd gave it a doubtful glance. Romanov said that they only needed a few things to release him, but one look at the destruction around him made him think twice.

Beecher lingered at the back of the team. He never said a word, but after being questioned as to where Etrius was, Beecher said he stayed at the base to patrol for Evils. In truth, he had no idea where Etrius was, but he wasn't going to take the blame for it. Etrius brought this upon himself.

Ivan Joseph was at the lead of the team, clutching the Crystal Shard by the golden chain. He spoke to Romanov. "Alright, Crackpot. What do you need us to do?"

There was no response from the opposite end. A tense silence thickened the air.

Lloyd frowned. "Romanov!"

Romanov sighed. "You cannot release me."

"What are you talking about?"

"He's on crack again."

Romanov harrumphed at the comment. "There's a darker force at work here. Releasing me would mean to release this new force."

Beecher ground his teeth. "We did not drive all the way here to eat your shit, doc. We're dragging your ass out of there, whether you like it or not!"

"Only to put the peace out of balance. You worked so hard to restore everything. You'd lose it all for a crackpot like me?"

The words stole Beecher's argument.

Nox frowned, crossing her arms. "You're the only one who knows how to destroy the Crystal Shard. You're the only one who can defeat this new dark force. As long as the two of them exist, they pose a threat to humanity."

Romanov was silent.

"We need you. This war isn't over yet, and you're the only one who can help us stop it."

"I'll only hold you back."

"Don't give us that bullshit. You opened the portal so we could get to Earth. We couldn't do that. You knew I was going to release my powers to stop the Mind Worm, and that's why you gave Lloyd the Crystal Shard. We won so many battles because your ass was with us. Now get your ass over here and save the world."

Romanov remained silent for a moment, and then sighed. "Alright. You have me convinced. But don't come crying to me when the new dark force is unleashed."

A smirk tugged at the corner of Nox's mouth. They were taking a huge risk, but they needed Romanov. And they would stop at nothing to ensure this new dark force would stay in the Ancient's Universe.

"What do we do?" Ivan Joseph inquired.

"You'll need three things. I'll tell you where to find them."

Boomer glanced around at the destruction around them. "Yeah, good luck with that."

~X~

Romanov was barely alive when the team found him. He was laying on his back beside the portal, the lack of food and water taking it's toll.

Ivan and Boomer dragged him back to the opposite side, just as Lloyd closed the portal, out of power.

Romanov was given food and the last of their donated water. By the time he regained consciousness, he couldn't remove his eyes off Romanov's robotic arm. It took Lloyd a moment to realize he was staring at it.

"I lost my real arm during the fight." Lloyd explained nonchalantly.

Romanov's words were stolen. If he was upset about his glasses fracturing, he wasn't prepared for this.

Romanov sat upright, the world spinning. "Where's Etrius?" He muttered.

"At the base," Beecher lied. "We'll see him when we get back." Although he truly hoped not. He was still angry at Etrius for what he did, but now wasn't the time for holding grudges.

~X~

Etrius watched the red armor hung up on the wall, in the scarlet light of the room. The General lingered in the doorway, hands clasped behind his back. "To get your memories back, there are some things I need. Those rebels stole it from me to keep you in the dark."

"What is it?"

"A Crystal," The General said. "The Crystal Shard. It contains an Element with the power to restore your memories. Bring this to me, and you'll remember who you really are."

Etrius unclipped the armor from the wall, something unfathomable stirring in his eyes. He tugged on the helmet, which was equipped with a headset so he could keep in touch. A black visor covered his face. Settings and upgrades for the armor popped up on the visor, in the corner of his eyes. He blinked them away, clipping on the rest of the armor.

He looked like a crimson knight, bathed in the blood of his enemies.

The General grinned. "Excellent. Get to the enemy base, and retrieve the Crystal Shard."

Etrius' eyes darkened with determination. "Yes, master."

**~A/N~ PLOT IS COMBUSTING. WHILE THIS IS OCCURING, WHY NOT LEAVE A REVIEW ON HOW INSANE THE AUTHOR IS.**


	5. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Shit," Beecher cursed, barely above a whisper. The disguise they had cloaked the base with was down. The front doors were blasted open, blackened ashes smudging the surface.

Nox leaned Romanov against a tree, keeping him hidden from sight. She clicked the safety off her modified sniper. Ever since losing her powers, the team had given her physical weapons and she underwent vigorous training.

Despite the fact that she knew how to fight using firearms, she still felt a hollow emptiness in her power's absence. This was something she would have to get used to.

The team cautiously approached the base, the distance closing between them. Boomer nudged the door open wider with his foot, inspecting the burn marks. "These were no explosives. It looks like…"

Ivan Joseph grated his teeth together. "Element Evil. It's back."

"How is that possible?" Nox flashed the light on her sniper down the dark corridor. "Element Evil is eradicated. The only _power_ left on Earth is the Crystal Shard. And we have it."

"Someone was looking for it," Lloyd flicked on the light, keeping his sword close. "Where's Etrius?"

Even Beecher was concerned about this. The last time he saw him, they were fighting in the back. Etrius had fled into the forest, but Beecher assumed he would return.

No more secrets. He had to tell the team.

"You think he went after the infiltrator?" Nox inquired.

Boomer shook his head. "He would've contacted us by now."

"He's gone," Beecher's eyes flicked to the floor as all attention was trained on him. "We had a fight outside. He left shortly after, but he didn't come back."

Nox blinked, then shook her head, disbelieving. "Wait. You told me Etrius was on watch duty outside for the night."

Beecher ground his teeth. "I lied. I didn't want to see his face again. I thought he would come back eventually, but… He's never been gone this long."

"Am I missing something here?" Lloyd glared at him with darkened eyes. "You lied to us, Beecher. Lying is what gets you killed on missions."

"I fucking know that!"

"You two have been fighting for weeks," Ivan pressed, his voice hot like fire coals. "It's because of you this team is cut in half."

"I would've told you all sooner! How was I supposed to know he wouldn't come back?"

Lloyd watched him with ire, crossing his arms. "That's just an excuse, Beecher. We can't trust you in this team if you're going to be hiding things from us."

Beecher opened his mouth to say something, but closed it. There were no words.

~X~

Etrius crept through the thicket, seeing the enemy base coming into view. With the first mission to retrieve the Crystal Shard failed, they had to change tactics. A smile performed on his face.

He ruffled his hair, making a mess out of it. He stained his face and clothes with soil, tearing the fabric apart. He leaned over a river, watching his reflection. He looked like he'd been through a fight. A smile crept across his face.

"Prepare for this, rebels."

He faked a limp and approached the enemy base. Once he stepped foot through the radius, a red dot of light appeared on his chest. A laser from a sniper. He glanced up at the roof, to see someone lying on their stomach, a modified sniper trained on him.

"HANDS WHERE I CAN SEE THEM!" Beecher shouted.

Etrius slowly complied, fighting the smirk off his face.

Beecher slowly lowered the sniper, taking it in. He spoke a single word, barely above a whisper. "Etrius."

The doors burst open below him. Lloyd and Ivan ran outside, followed by Nox and Boomer. They stared at the form of Etrius in disbelief.

Etrius took two steps forward, and then collapsed. Ivan caught him before he hit the ground.

Beecher climbed down from the roof, staring in disbelief at Etrius from a distance.

Etrius feigned being out of breath. "Evils… There were countless of them… Had me surrounded… Barely got out alive…"

Etrius was told not to mention The General. They had everything planned out perfectly. Once he got close to the team, he could grab the Crystal Shard.

"Get him inside, now." Lloyd ordered, and Etrius was brought back inside the base.

Beecher remained standing in the doorway for a while. Etrius wasn't behaving like himself at all. He would've immediately ordered the team to eliminate the Evils in the area.

Beecher followed the others inside the base, to the medical room. Nox clenched her fists, but immediately unclenched them when she remembered. Her powers were gone. No more advanced healing abilities. But Etrius didn't seem to have any major injuries at all.

Beecher beckoned Nox out of the room while the others questioned Etrius.

"What do you think?" Beecher asked, his eyes on Etrius through the window. "He's not like himself."

"I've seen," Nox narrowed her eyes. "He's not insulting your bad shave."

Beecher crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. "That's not what I mean. There's some _different _about him. I know it."

"What were you guys doing outside the other night?" Nox inquired, searching through her memories. "I can't read minds anymore, but I can tell you did more than arguing."

"That's… not important."

"If he's been missing for more than a day, I'm sure it _is _important."

Beecher's nostrils flared. "What happened outside is none of this team's concern. But rest assured, it has nothing to do with _this._"

Nox's eyes remained trained on him for a second before she relaxed. "Alright," She gave a nod. "I believe you."

~X~

Silence and darkness surrounded the base. Even the shadows seemed alive in the winding hallways.

Etrius' door creaked open. He peered through the slim gap, but no one was patrolling the corridors. A smile rose on his face as he exited the dorm room.

He sauntered through the dark hallways, clicking on the earpiece hidden beneath his hair. He left his armor back at The General's base, but kept the earpiece with him to keep in touch. The team hadn't noticed it.

He had to get the Crystal Shard.

Haunting moonlight flooded through the base windows, creating a blue aura. Etrius' mind was cast into an endless sea of ice. A sudden image of a blood-red moon burned afterimages behind his eyes. The broken bridge in his mind trembled, bits and shards clicking into place.

He'd been to this base before.

And although he couldn't pinpoint exactly when, there was something familiar and haunting that hung over him.

Flashes of de ja vu blinked before him.

But like always, he shoved it away. The General had mentioned these rebels to capture their enemies, torture and kill them. Obviously, he'd been here before The General found him and freed him.

If this Crystal Shard could retrieve his memories, then it could do so much more. He could end the rebels' reign of terror once and for all.

He stopped by a familiar door, with the words _Laboratory Element Evil 115_ written beside it.

He tried the knob.

Locked.

He grimaced, kneeling down and taking out a paperclip he'd always kept with him. The General reminded him that he trained him in the art of infiltration, and he was grateful for the skills now that he needed them.

After tweaking a bit, the lock clicked, and the door creaked open. He stepped inside.

There.

On a white table.

A blue shard of sapphire hovered within a clear glass contained. He plucked it from the table. It was light as air.

_This has to be it,_ He grinned. _Can't mistake it._

"Hold it!" A familiar voice demanded from the doorway.

Etrius froze, and then glared over his shoulder.

The swordsman with a fake arm stood in the doorway.

His eyes narrowed. Etrius was awake in the dead of night. He was grabbing the Crystal Shard. Everything clicked into place.

Lloyd unsheathed his sword, aiming the tip at Etrius' heart. "Put it down. Get your hands over your head and face me."

Etrius did as he was told, but an electrical vibe ran beneath his skin. The swordsman was all too familiar. And not because he'd seen him when he arrived for the Shard, or when he'd once been captured by him. Secrets stirred beneath the surface, and Etrius couldn't just sit around, waiting for them to reveal themselves. He was getting answers. _Now._

"Tell me what you know," Etrius demanded, as if he had Lloyd cornered. "When I was last held here, you… You played an important role. Just because you erased my memories doesn't mean I'll ignore you."

Lloyd was in shock. "What are you—?"

"_Don't bullshit me,_" Etrius grated. "Every time I look at you rebels, there's something familiar in the air that haunts me. I won't tolerate being shut out in the dark any longer. Tell me the truth."

Etrius locked his hands in his hair, a sensation of ants running beneath his skin taking over. What had he gone through all the years of not having his memories?

Lloyd's eyes narrowed, then widened. "Your memories are gone. You don't remember who we are. Who's telling you this?"

"The General. He says that you rebels will do the most evil for money and power. The General has taken me in since the beginning, and I intend to follow him. Not you. _Never _you."

"LLOYD!" Beecher's voice echoed down the hall. "You called for back-up?" He appeared in the doorway, and then saw Lloyd aiming his sword at Etrius, at a standstill. "What's going on?"

"The General erased his memories, and he doesn't remember who we are," Lloyd summed up. "

Something undecipherable stirred in Beecher's eyes, and then narrowed with confusion. "The General is dead."

"That's not what he's saying."

"Then that means—"

"Quick work," A voice quipped.

Beecher and Lloyd whirled around to face a silhouette staring at them from the shadows. His hands were clasped behind his back, he wore a beret, and his voice was all too familiar.

Beecher ground his teeth and stepped back. "It—It's not possible. This is just an illusion."

"How you'd like to think so, soldier," The General emerged from the shadows, a grin crossing his face. "It's hard to believe you'd actually fall for that."

"It was all a set-up," Lloyd assumed, his eyes narrowed. "The Mind Worm never killed you."

"The 'General' you saw get torn to shreds wasn't the real me. It was a clone I sent. I knew I couldn't trust the Mind Worm, but I wanted to take it's power. I intended to do it when it finished your worthless team off, but that didn't happen. There's been a change of plans."

With the team distracted, Etrius snatched the Crystal Shard and walked to The General's side, emotionlessly. He dangled it in front of them. "This is what can bring my memories back."

Beecher exchanged glances between Etrius and The General. "Did he tell you that?"

Etrius glared at him coldly.

"He's lying. This whole mission is not to return your memories, Etrius," Lloyd said, his eyes locked with Etrius'. "He wants the power for himself. It's what he'd always wanted. The General is not on your side! He's going to betray you!"

"We are your real team," Beecher stepped forward, his eyes on Etrius, never wavering. "Come back to us."

Etrius scowled at Beecher with hatred. It was the darkest look he had ever given Beecher, darker than their recent arguments. "You're not twisting me into believing you. I know my place, and you're not dragging me from it again." Etrius' hand closed around the Crystal Shard, which hovered within the glass container. Whatever he had suffered in the hands of these rebels, it was over.

"Etrius," Beecher reached into his back pocket unnoticed, calling silently for back-up. "The General wants to use the Crystal as a way to release the Presence. HE took your powers, not us! We can bring your memories back if you just—"

"SHUT UP!" Etrius ground his teeth.

"He's right, Etrius," The General said, nonchalantly. "That Crystal can release the Presence, which is what we're going to do."

Etrius whirled around to face The General. "What?"

"These rebels are too powerful to be stopped," He glared at the team with triumph. "What can stop them is the Presence."

"But that thing can destroy the Earth!"

"Not if we control it first," The General held his hand out to Etrius. "With that Crystal, the Presence will be under our control. We'll get rid of the enemies and lock it back in the Ancients' Universe."

Etrius bowed his head in agreement.

By this time, Beecher clicked the safety off his sniper and aimed at The General. "What makes you think you're getting away this easily?" He pulled the trigger.

The General extended a hand, an ever-present light curling around his fingers. The bullet stopped mere inches away from his palm. He curled his fingers, and crushed the bullet with his bare hand. Then hurled it back at Beecher twice as fast.

It buried itself in Beecher's shoulder, a sliver of blood flowing out. He collapsed to the floor, clutching the wound.

Despite himself, Etrius' heart twisted. Once again, he was hit with that same sickening feeling of de ja vu.

The doorframe beside Etrius' head exploded. He glanced down the hall to see Nox and Ivan charging towards them, wielding firearms.

The General grabbed Etrius' shoulder, and prompted him to follow down the hall.

Ivan continued pursuing The General and Etrius while Nox checked on Beecher. Lloyd was kneeling by his side, tearing a piece of his shirt to stop the bleeding. Beecher shoved him away. "I'm fine. I'm fine! Lloyd, stop them!"

"I'm getting Romanov in here," Nox announced propping Beecher against a wall. "Lloyd, go after them! Make sure they don't take the Crystal Shard!"

Lloyd responded with a hesitant nod before darting down the hallway after Ivan and the others.

The General had burst through the double doors, Etrius following. The General had the Crystal Shard in a tight grip.

Lloyd and Ivan followed them, stopping in the doorframe.

Ivan's eyes were on Etrius. "Give us the Crystal, Etrius, and _we _can help you regain your memories. That bastard will do _nothing_."

The General faced his palms to the ground, and light seeped through the soil. "Etrius! Let's go!" He shouted to him, who was still standing before the team.

Etrius' eyes darted from The General to the team, teeth ground together. "You're hiding something from me. I know it."

"We're not hiding anything," Ivan kept his eyes on Etrius. "HE'S hiding everything from you."

"Enough with the lies! I want the truth."

"That is—!"

"ARGH!"

Boomer wrung his arms against The General's neck from behind, snatching the Crystal Shard in the process.

The General's eyes set alight. Boomer was thrown into a tree by an invisible force. He shook his head to clear his doubled vision, clutching the Crystal Shard in his hand.

The General sauntered towards him, holding out his glowing fist in warning. "Give it here, rebel."

Boomer smiled. Then revealed a clacker in his left hand. He clicked.

Multiple beeps resounded around them, and red dots flashed through the forest, and around the base. Explosives.

A female electronic voice spoke. "_Detonating in five…_"

"You wouldn't…" The General glared at him with a steely gaze.

"_Four…_"

"There's a way to destroy the Crystal," Boomer gave his trademark smirk. "Once these chemical explosives go off, it's over for us all."

"_Three…_"

The General didn't believe him. Boomer extended his hands with the Crystal Shard and clacker, gesturing to the beeping explosives around him.

"_Two._"

The General thought at the last second. In one swift motion, he grabbed Etrius' shoulders. They vanished in a flash of cobalt-blue light.

"_One,_"

**~A/N~ Them cliffhangers, though. I might introduce some more characters from the series. Maybe not. The current characters seem to HATE new company.**


	6. Chapter 4

p class="MsoNormal" align="center"strongspan style="text-decoration: underline;"Chapter 4/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal""GAH!"/p  
p class="MsoNormal"The Elite Rebels threw their hands over their heads, preparing for the inevitable./p  
p class="MsoNormal"The demolitions ticked down./p  
p class="MsoNormal"The General and Etrius vanished./p  
p class="MsoNormal""emspan style="text-decoration: underline;"One./span/em"/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Silence thickened the air./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Ivan opened his eyes, scanning the demolitions. Boomer was still leaning against a tree, the clacker in his hand. A smile grew on his face as he tossed it aside. "Is everyone alright?"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""What the hell is this?" Lloyd inquired, glaring at the blinking packs of C4 around them./p  
p class="MsoNormal""I never set them to detonate," Boomer said, moving to clean up the mess. "I was chasing The General out of here."/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Lloyd ran his hands through his hair. His hair tie had come undone. "God fucking damn-it! They took the Crystal Sha—"/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Boomer held up the Crystal, dangling by the gold chain./p  
p class="MsoNormal""…You bastard."/p  
p class="MsoNormal" ~X~/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Ivan, Lloyd and Boomer made their way back inside the base, where Nox and Romanov were looming over Beecher's form. Romanov had removed the crushed bullet and stopped the bleeding./p  
p class="MsoNormal""He's lucky," Romanov stated. "Any closer, and that bullet would've pierced his heart."/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Beecher wavered between unconsciousness and awareness. He repeated Etrius' name under his breath./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Nox rose to her feet, facing the team. "The Crystal Shard?"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""Right here." Boomer tossed it to her, and Nox caught it by the chain. She inspected the shimmering coat of cobalt blue light. A blue flame danced within./p  
p class="MsoNormal"She sighed. "Great. Now let's make sure they don't come back for it again. Lloyd, I need you to help me get the base's cloaking device back on. Ivan, you're on watch duty. Boomer, you're watching Beecher. We've got work to do."/p  
p class="MsoNormal" ~X~/p  
p class="MsoNormal"The General and Etrius flashed into existence in The General's old base. Etrius braced both his hands on the wall, his shoulders heaving with each heavy breath./p  
p class="MsoNormal"The General lit a cigarette. "Mission accomplished," He reached into his pocket. "Now with the Crystal Shard in our hands, we're unstoppable."/p  
p class="MsoNormal"His hands searched his pockets, but they reached nothing./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Then he remembered./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Boomer had snatched the Crystal Shard in the middle of the fight./p  
p class="MsoNormal"His cigarette fell from his mouth. "Shit."/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Etrius kept his hands braced against the wall, his head hanging down. Questions crowded his thoughts. "What were you saying about the Mind Worm?"/p  
p class="MsoNormal"It took The General a moment to realize Etrius was talking to him. "I don't quite follow you."/p  
p class="MsoNormal""Just now," Etrius said, turning around to face him with lush green eyes. "Those rebels. They said the Mind Worm killed your clone. That thing nearly destroyed you, and now you want to release yet another powerful force?"/p  
p class="MsoNormal"The General never met his gaze. "It was nothing, Etrius. It was all part of the plan. I have everything under control."/p  
p class="MsoNormal""So it was true!" Etrius glared at him, his gaze darkening. "This is not what I signed up for. I can regain my memories another way – I know it."/p  
p class="MsoNormal"The General turned away from him, clasping his hands behind his back. "Do not question my motives. The Presence can take care of the rebels, and keep them from destroying the planet, using the Crystal Shard. In order to get your memories, we need the Crystal Shard. And in order to get the Crystal Shard, we need to get rid of those rebels."/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Etrius clenched and unclenched his fist. He didn't want to admit it, but every time he looked at the rebels—even thought of them—he would get sudden flashes of de ja vu. There was a missing piece to this picture, and it seemed somebody wasn't telling him the truth./p  
p class="MsoNormal"emBut who is it?/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal""What do I need to do?"/p  
p class="MsoNormal" ~X~/p  
p class="MsoNormal""There's a way to destroy the Presence," Romanov spoke up, his eyes scanning the pages of the Second Book behind his fractured glasses. "I remember translating it after the discovery of the Second Castle, but didn't think it was essential."/p  
p class="MsoNormal""So how do we kill it?" Beecher said, sitting upright from his bed. A white bandage was wrapped around his shoulder, covering the gunshot wound. Nox couldn't see it, but her heart twisted at the sight of the dressed wound./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Romanov rolled his shoulders back. "There are certain pages that contain an incantation. But these pages are missing."/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Boomer growled and thumped his head back against the wall. "Great. Just our luck."/p  
p class="MsoNormal""We need to find these Missing Pages," Nox spoke up. "If The General gets to them first… Earth's loss will be devastating. We can't let that happen. Etrius' memories can wait; we need to find those pages first."/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Beecher's nostrils flared. He buried his face in his hands. "This is all my fault. If Etrius and I hadn't been arguing, he wouldn't have left. I could've stopped it, I could've—"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""Beecher," Lloyd snapped. "There's no time for a guilt trip. We need to focus."/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Beecher ran his hands down his face, but didn't respond./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Ivan turned to Romanov. "Crackpot, where do you suppose these pages might be?"/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Romanov thought for a moment. "In the parallel dimension. It might still be in the base. That was the last place I've seen them."/p  
p class="MsoNormal""And we have no way of getting there." Boomer's eyes remained glued to the floor. "Plan B?"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""There is no plan B," Nox said. "We're going there."/p  
p class="MsoNormal""Nox," Boomer chuckled. "The last time we went there, we barely escaped with our lives, much less our own sanity."/p  
p class="MsoNormal""It's our best chance. The General is going to release The Presence any minute. With his mission to retrieve the Crystal Shard a failure, he's going to release the force anyways. Earth is being put at risk, and if we don't go that far with our lives, we might as well be letting everybody down."/p  
p class="MsoNormal" ~X~/p  
p class="MsoNormal""I should've burned down that base when I had the chance," The General strolled through the crisscrossing corridors of the underground hallways. "Doesn't matter anymore. That bomb-addict blew themselves to shreds, and most likely destroyed the Crystal Shard in the process."/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Etrius lingered four steps behind The General, his eyes to the floor, his mind elsewhere./p  
p class="MsoNormal"The General noticed his distraction. He stopped and turned to face him. "Etrius? Is something wrong?"/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Etrius' eyes raked the floor. "Those rebels. I can't get them off my mind."/p  
p class="MsoNormal""Half their team if probably dead, and we're so close to releasing The Presence. They pose little to no threat now."/p  
p class="MsoNormal""It's not that, it's…"/p  
p class="MsoNormal"The General watched him with something undecipherable stirring in his cobalt blue eyes. He raised a brow./p  
p class="MsoNormal""They seem familiar."/p  
p class="MsoNormal""emOf course/em they're familiar. They held you prisoner since—"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""That's not what I mean! Are you sure they're emjust /emrebels? What prompted them to become rebels?"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""Greed. It's obvious. Now let's keep moving."/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Etrius shook his head. "That can't be it. Something happened during those years when I had my memories. Something important. I don't know exactly what it is, but those rebels certainly know. I need answers."/p  
p class="MsoNormal"An electrical vibe ran beneath The General's skin. He knew the consequences if Etrius went chasing after his memories. And he wasn't prepared to take that risk./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Without thinking, he grabbed Etrius by the collar of his shirt. "emListen up, Etrius/em," He pressed. "Those rebels are just trying to brainwash you. During those years of suffering, they tried to make you believe that they were the good ones. But they're wrong. They have every ounce of evil on this planet flowing within their veins. Do you understand? They are the enemy!"/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Etrius stared at him in shock, his forest green eyes unmoving. "I see what this is about. You don't want me to avoid enemy hands. You just don't want me to leave."/p  
p class="MsoNormal"It took The General a moment to realize that he had Etrius by the collar of his shirt. He slowly let go, turning back around. "We have to keep moving. Come on, let's go." He resumed walking down the corridor./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Etrius followed The General down the earth-scented corridor, into an opening. All the while, he couldn't take his eyes off The General's back. The General seemed almost desperate to get his power… and even more so in Etrius./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Etrius knew what The General's intentions were, but he was hiding something. And so were the rebels./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Finally, the corridor broke away into a spacious underground area. The place was empty, and even devoid of wind and oxygen. Etrius struggled to breathe./p  
p class="MsoNormal"The General placed a hand on his shoulder, emotionlessly. A dim light flickered across his skin, warming his lungs, and he could breathe easier./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Towreing stacks of crates with the words emWEAPONS /emsprayed across them were scattered around the area, and a convoy of useless trucks were parked near them./p  
p class="MsoNormal"The General led him to a machine. Two metal slabs towered over them, nearly touching the gravelly roof. The General flipped a red switch, and the sound of power and energy hummed through the area. Electricity and powerful voltage travelled up and down the slabs./p  
p class="MsoNormal"The General plucked up a cube, packed with wires and motherboards. He tossed it up between the slabs, and Etrius was surprised when it hovered in place. It ascended higher and higher until it radiated a blue light. The light flashed between the two slabs./p  
p class="MsoNormal"A magnetic force tore at Etrius' mind and body. For a moment, he wanted to do nothing but fall beneath the portal's power, but then he remembered the task./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Strong winds erupted from the portal, and the air smelled of chalk dust./p  
p class="MsoNormal"The General's grip on Etrius' shoulder tightened. "The portal is open! When that thing comes through, take cover!"/p  
p class="MsoNormal"The sound of nails screeching against walls surrounded them. The sea-blue light of the portal immediately blackened. Even the oxygen The General was creating blew out like a candle flame./p  
p class="MsoNormal"The General took cover behind the portal's controls. Etrius dived behind the convoy of trucks./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Traces of Element Evil nicked the air./p  
p class="MsoNormal""It's coming."/p 


End file.
